Bandai is turning Sega's classic consoles into a planetary map

Bandai will release a series of apparel and accessories in November featuring designs that depict Sega's past hardware as a planetary map. Pre-orders opened today on Premium Bandai's Bancolle fashion portal, covering the manufacturer's home console lineage from the 8-bit era through the early 2000s.

A new apparel and merchandise series featuring SEGA's past consoles, including the Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast, is now available. The lineup includes designer tote bags, foldable tote bags, designer T-shirts, designer face towels, and cushions. The collection spans Sega's entire hardware history, pulling in the SG-1000, the Master System, and the Game Gear alongside the heavy hitters.

The pricing structure is relatively standard for Bandai's premium lifestyle brand. Prices include 2,200 yen for a design face towel. If you want something for your couch, the mini hardware cushions are priced at 2,090 yen. The full-sized plush console cushions run 3,080 yen, which feels like a reasonable price to pay for a soft, huggable version of a 16-bit console.

A literal Sega Saturn

The planetary map motif is a direct nod to Sega's internal development culture in the 1990s. The Sega Saturn famously got its retail name because it was the sixth major hardware platform developed by the company, mirroring the sixth planet from the sun. That celestial naming convention extended to various hardware add-ons and prototypes during that era. The 32X was developed under the codename Project Mars. The unreleased Genesis and 32X combination console was known as Project Neptune, and a planned cartridge-based successor to the Genesis was dubbed Project Jupiter before being scrapped entirely.

The front of these apparel items visualizes the hardware lineage as a connected solar system. The reverse side takes a more technical approach, listing the authentic hardware specifications for each console.

Shipping this fall

Bandai's Bancolle division has carved out a specific niche for this kind of high-end, nostalgic gaming apparel. They treat classic hardware like luxury fashion brands treat their heritage designs, often partnering with Japanese publishers to dig through the archives. The items are available to order through the Bancolle portal, with the initial announcement posted to the Premium Bandai social feed.

These collections are typically produced in limited production runs based on the pre-order volume, meaning they rarely see a second printing once the initial window closes. If you have been looking for an excuse to explain the Dreamcast's Hitachi SH-4 processor architecture to strangers on the street, the technical specification shirt is going to be your best option.